ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. wind — moving air
  7. face — part of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. club — a group
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — for betting
  14. face — to point toward
  15. chip — to eat
  16. face — to confront
  17. club — for golf
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com